The SSS Ranked Villain's Return

Neraxis paused, and after a few moments of maintaining eye contact with Crimson, he finally snapped his fingers, resuming time once again.

A faint brush of wind blew past him as a cut appeared on Neraxis's cheek.

But as soon as it came, the cut healed up, not leaving behind even a single scratch.

Crimson clicked his tongue.

"You're using the power of Time for something as minor as healing? Do you not know the consequences?"

Neraxis tilted his head.

"I've been in that place for a very long time, and while I can imagine the consequences, I don't really give a shit."

He turned to Weaver.

"Where's Lagus? You know, right?"

Weaver stared at him for a few moments, then let out a sigh.

"I'm pretty sure you know where he is as well. But do know that the moment you leave this area, you'll no longer be able to come back."

"Why?" Neraxis asked, furrowing his brows.

"Because you are no longer welcome here," Weaver replied flatly. "You're as strong as us. So being inside here, you might be recognized as an administrator, and that is something we wish to avoid for the foreseeable future."

"And if I come here without your consent?" Neraxis mused. "Will you expel me? Delete me, perhaps?"

"We'll simply ask you to kindly leave." Weaver chuckled. "You're not Lagus, but depending on your future decisions, we might treat you like him."

Neraxis rolled his eyes. "You won't see me again."

But just as he was about to open up the Void and teleport away, he halted, remembering a single distant memory.

"Can you free Jeanne?" Neraxis asked, turning to Weaver. "She might still be searching for me. I first met her in—"

"No need," Weaver cut him off. "We know exactly who you're talking about."

Neraxis tilted his head. "I guess I'm not surprised. You do own this tower."

Weaver shook his head. "Not in that way. Truthfully, Aka was the first person to test the trials of each floor, and she had left behind a sort of copy of herself."

Hearing that, Neraxis let out a sigh.

It was hard not to piece together the puzzle after it was quite literally displayed in front of him.

"So Jeanne is Aka? And why exactly do you not want to free her?" Neraxis asked. "She's a copy, as you said, so send her to my world."

"We can't do that. She belongs to the tower," Weaver replied sternly. "She was technically born here, and as with all beings who are born in the tower, she may not leave it."

"You're not saying it's impossible," Neraxis remarked, a faint smile appearing. "I won't have a reason to enter the tower again if you hand over Jeanne."

"Did you not say we won't see you again?"

"I changed my mind."

A moment of silence ensued as Weaver took a few steps forward, looking down at Neraxis.

"We may be of similar strength, but we are not pushovers, Neraxis. Rules are in place, and those very same rules must be upheld without exceptions," Weaver said slowly.

Neraxis nodded.

"We're at a stalemate then. I want to take her, and you won't let me."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Do you want to recreate what happened all those years ago?" Neraxis asked. "The tower falling, your administrative permissions being overrun. Do you think I can't do the same?"

Of course he could, it was easy.

In theory, anyway.

He would need to connect his mana with the tower's, and then forcefully create a new law.

Or rather, create a certain law that would connect him to the tower itself.

It's a bit difficult, but I'm sure if it came down to it, I could most definitely achieve it.

Still, he waited for the good news.

And sadly, that good news never came.

"Pfft... a threat from the son of Lagus. It is a fruitful day, after all," Weaver said. "But sadly for you, even if you achieve something similar, you will be wiped out by Aka herself."

"Then I guess I won't fight you at all," Neraxis replied with a faint smile.

In the next instant, he snapped his fingers, freezing time.

And without hesitation, stepped through his Void, arriving at the bottom of the 100th floor where the rest of the Sovereigns stood.

And with a simple blink, they were all stored inside his Void.

Neraxis felt a certain oppressive pressure coming from above, but he didn't stay around for it.

Instead, he focused on the tower itself and teleported to one of the floors.

<You've entered Floor 50!>

<Forceful entry detected...>

<Notifying the administrators...>

He didn't bat an eye at those pop-ups as he put all his focus into the tower once again.

He wasn't looking for a floor anymore, but a person.

And after less than 10 seconds, he found her.

Jeanne, or rather, Jane, was currently on the 56th floor, gathering herbs and using them to create a few potions.

But that was when she suddenly vanished from that spot, reappearing right in front of him.

Because he didn't want some unexpected complications to arise just yet, he froze her time and placed her inside of the Void before finally teleporting out of Dreamspire.

<You've successfully left Dreamspire!>

<Ding!>

<You've been permanently banned from entering Dreamspire again!>

Neraxis raised a brow at the pop-ups and reopened the Void, causing the Sovereigns as well as Jane to fall out.

They looked around, puzzled.

But when they finally saw him, and how strong he had gotten, their eyes widened.

"Woah, dude..." Gluttony muttered. "You've become pretty powerful... much more powerful than us."

"Clearly," Neraxis replied dryly, meeting the gaze of all the Sovereigns present as well as the shocked Jane.

He didn't have time to address her as he wanted to get this over and done with.

"I'm going to be going on a little trip. Protect this girl and the others. Violet will show you the way."

Before they could reply, he snapped his fingers, twisting the Void around himself as he soon reappeared in another area altogether.

This was the area where he suspected Lagus was.

After all...

This was where it all started.